Allison Pickard leads Anne Arundel County executive race

Allison Pickard leads Anne Arundel County executive race

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Anne Arundel County Set for New Leadership After Midnight Election Count

Anne Arundel County is heading into a definitive political shift after a long night of counting ballots. According to data reported by WMAR, the county is set to install a new county executive alongside five new faces on its County Council. This marks the first change in leadership for the county in more than 8 years, shaking up local governance as provisional and remaining mail-in ballots continue to process.

Just after midnight, 100% of the votes in Anne Arundel County were in and counted. While the race had not yet been officially called, Democrat Allison Pickard established a lead in the executive race over her opponent, Dave Crawford, pulling ahead by 32,925 votes.

The County Executive Race and the Path to Certification

The numbers from election night outline a clear split in voting habits across the county. As detailed by Eye On Annapolis, Pickard secured 114,830 votes—representing 58.30% of the tally—compared to Crawford’s 81,905 votes, or 41.58%. Her advantage built heavily on strong early voting and mail-in returns, whereas Crawford found his strongest support among voters turning out directly on Election Day.

Because officials stopped short of an official midnight call, final certification could take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. The meticulous canvassing of outstanding mail-in and provisional ballots remains mandatory before the final totals are available.

Candidate Party Total Votes Percentage
Allison Pickard Democrat 114,830 58.30%
Dave Crawford Republican 81,905 41.58%

Pickard is moving to succeed County Executive Steuart Pittman, bringing her experience directly from her current seat on the County Council into the executive’s office.

Anne Arundel County elects new executive, welcomes 5 new council members in historic shift

Shifting Power Dynamics on the County Council

Beyond the executive suite, the legislative branch is experiencing a transformation. Five new faces are slated to join the County Council. Among the most notable moves is former Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, a Democrat leading Republican George Gallagher in District 6. Buckley captured 62.85% of the vote to secure the seat currently held by outgoing Democrat Lisa Rodvien.

Meanwhile, other council districts are seeing nail-biting finishes. In District 5, Republican incumbent Amanda Fiedler holds a narrow lead of 725 votes over Democratic challenger Natalie Ogilvie. Fiedler dominated the in-person Election Day tallies, but Ogilvie countered with strong numbers in early voting and mail-in ballots.

Allison Pickard leads Anne Arundel County executive race
Photo: eyeonannapolis.net

District 7 is similarly competitive. Republican Dawn Pulliam leads Democrat Spencer Jones by 1,379 votes, relying on strong Election Day turnout to offset Jones's advantage among mail-in voters. With provisional ballots still left to clear, these close margins mean the final balance of power could experience minor shifts before the canvass concludes.

Stability remains in other corners of the local legislature. Republican Nathan Volke will continue to represent District 3, and Julie Hummer will continue serving District 4.

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